History
Which of these would be least important to include in a summary of this article? A. Japan had ambitions to expand its power in Asia and the Pacific region. B. The U.S. declared war on Japan on December 8, 1941. C. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor came as a complete surprise. D. Many American lives were lost, as were many military vessels and planes. Go swipe up with your thumb on your phone. Here's the article.REMEMBER PEARL HARBORHONOLULU, Hawaii (Achieve3000) When the sun rose over the Hawaiian island of Oahu on December 7, 1941, eight battleships and over a hundred smaller vessels were afloat in the calm waters of the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor. Sailors in charge of deck logs documented the routine operations of a Sunday morning in peacetime. They recorded such unexceptional details as how many gallons of milk and ice cream have been delivered.On an upper deck aboard the USS Phoenix, crew member Edwin Schuler was enjoying the fine weather. "The sun was shining beautifully," he recalled in an interview for the National Museum of the Pacific War.But that bright, balmy morning would be remembered as a dark moment in American history. Shortly before 8:00 a.m., the prevailing peace was shattered. "All of a sudden, here comes this plane, diving down. Plumes of dirt and debris flu up next to the [battleship] Arizona," Schuler recounted. A bomb had exploded near the USS Arizona, and it was not the only target under fire. All around the naval base, service members were making dire notes in official logs----Pearl Harbor was under attack by Imperial Japanese forces. Japanese airplanes filled the skies, dropping bombs and aerial torpedoes on the base's ships and airfields and (strafing) them with bullets.Within two hours, the U.S. Pacific Fleet was in ruins. Many vessels, including all eight battleships, were sunk or damaged, and 188 aircraft were destroyed. The human toll was even more devastating. A total of 2,403 American military members and civilians lost their lives as a result of the attack, and an additional 1,178 were wounded. Like the enemy bombers that had appeared without warning, the strike seemed to Americans to have come out of the blue. For many reasons, most military experts had not suspected a Japanese assault on Pearl Harbor was (imminent). First, although there had been tensions between the U.S. and Japan for decades, the two nations were not at war with each other. By the start of December 1941, Japan and other countries were embroiled in World War II, but the United States had not entered the conflict. Second, Japan's ambitions of expanding its power in Asia and the Pacific region were well known. However, Americans believed Hawaii was too far away to become its target. Finally, the top-secret mission---carried out by six Japanese aircraft carriers transporting 414 airplanes----avoided detection by maintaining radio silence throughout the 3,500 mile (5,633-kilometer) voyage.President Franklin D. Roosevelt called December 7, 1941, "a date which will live in (infamy)," and it's historical impact was explosive. Previously, many Americans were opposed to the idea of the U.S. becoming involved in the war, but the attack (galvanized) public support for military action. On December 8, 1941, the U.S. declared war on Japan, the first step in its entry into World War II.During that global struggle, the refrain "Remember Pearl Harbor" was a rallying cry for the war effort, and Americans have continued to honor that fateful day on National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Flags are flown at half-mast and ceremonies Mark the event and pay homage to those who died.In 2021, the Best Defense Foundation is bringing more than 50 veterans who survived the attack back to Pearl Harbor to honor the 80th anniversary. they will visit the USS Arizona Memorial, which is built above the sunken remains of the battleship. The monuments marble walls are engraved with the names of service members who perished in the attack, ensuring that they----and December 7, 1941----will never be forgotten.THE END!